Tackling and blocking training device



y 1961 D. H. BROWN 2,984,485

TACKLING AND BLOCKING TRAINING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

May 16, 1961 D. H. BROWN 2,984,435

TACKLING AND BLOCKING TRAINING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

May 16, 1961 D. H. BROWN TACKLING AND BLOCKING TRAINING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July'Sl, 1959 INVENTOR. flea/6y /1 15/04/20,

United States Patent TACKLING AND BLOCKING TRAINING DEVICE Dewey H. Brown, Thrall, Tex.

Filed July 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,749

10 Claims. (Cl. 273-55) This invention is a tackling and blocking machine to assist athletes to develop and perfect the techniques of tackling and blocking such as are required in the game of football, to condition the whole body and to sharpen the nuro-muscular coordinations and reactions.

'Ihetackling and blocking machine of the present invention involves the use of the well known tackling dummy, but supports and maneuvers the dummy in such manner as to require not only skill and technique on the part of the athlete in throwing the dummy to the ground, but also to require the athlete to be alert at all times for the behavior of the dummy in its automatic return to its initial position.

The machine is designed not only to develop and perfect the tackling techniques, but also to bring about movements of the dummy following the tackling operation which requires alertness and skill on the part of subsequent tacklers in properly throwing the dummy or in blocking.

With the general objects thus briefly recited, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and cooperation of parts all as hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the drawings, and fully set forth in the claims, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a tackling and blocking device constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts in the position they will assume at the start of the tackling operation,

Fig. 2 is a broken away similar view showing the parts separated in order that their interfitting arrangement may be observed,

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary view on a slightly enlarged scale and showing the manner in which the boom pivots and swings downwardly when the tackling operation is completed,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tackling and blocking structure,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the supporting sleeve,

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the adjusting means for connecting the retracting spring to the upstanding post,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, parts broken away, of the mast and its supporting base also showing the connection between the collar and the arcuate plate,

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken through one of the anchoring feet for the mast, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmental sectional view showing the manner in which the ends of the supporting feet are anchored to the ground.

The invention here disclosed departs from tackling devices heretofore known and used in that it brings about actions on the part of the dummy heretofore impossible of accomplishment with such known apparatus. The machine is designed particularly to bring about movements or behavior on the part of the dummy to present problems to a group of athletes successively and continually as they keep it in operation. With the dummy manipulating structure of my invention, the tackled dummy, upon being released, will automatically rise from the ground and move back toward its original position, to be tackled again, or to be blocked in this reverse travel. The device is so developed that the dummy may never be tackled to the ground in the same spot successively, therefore it never follows the same exact path or pattern in its return movement. This requires the athlete to at all times be alert and to react reflexibly in order to attack the dummy properly. In other words, while with other dummys hung from a stationary point, they may be attacked and thrown with comparative ease because the position of the dummy is fixed and therefore is known to the athlete. The mechanism of the present invention requires the tackler or blocker to keep his attention at all times focused on the returning target, otherwise it cannot be hit or tackled properly.

In the accomplishment of these ends, the dummy is suspended from one end of a cable passing over pulleys on an overhead supporting structure which comprises a boom normally disposed in horizontal overhead position, the opposite end of the cable having a counterweight attached thereto in order to properly maintain the dummy in upright position. This boom swings on a vertical axis so that it travels in an arcuate path when the dummy is struck or tackled and continues in this path a predetermined distance, after which it breaks, or descends on a horizontal pivot so as to bring about a completion of the tackle. The impetus given to the boom as the player strikes and travels with the dummy, tensions a spring which, after the dummy has been thrown or dropped to the ground and released, brings about an uplift to the boom to its normal horizontal position, carrying with it the dummy which travels in a swinging manner back toward its initial position. The next tackler is thus confronted with a dummy moving rapidly in his direction and in a weaving or zig-zag manner, thus closely simulating the movements of an opposing player who may be carrying the ball or who may be blocking. It will thus be seen that the device, though purely mechanical, moves the dummy in such manner as to simulate movements of opposing players and requiring the tackler or blocker to be alert, otherwise his attempt either at tackling or blocking, as the case may be, will be fruitless.

The invention also resides in a unique mounting for the structure which enables the apparatus to be readily moved from place to place and securely anchored to the ground without disturbance to the latter and yet will adequately support the apparatus and successfully resist the strains and stresses to which it must necessarily be subjected during the tackling and/ or blocking operations.

In the present form of the invention, the apparatus is supported above the ground upon a mast which may be of steel or wood indicated at 15. This mast may be of steel, preferably tubing of proper diameter and adequate height. This mast rises from and is fixedly secured to a base structure which includes radiating channel members 16 of any desired number. In the present instance, these members are of substantially triangular hollow shape and telescopically receive angle members or feet 17 which may be slid in and out and snugly fit within the channel members 16. The outer ends of these feet are provided with openings through which pass anchor pins 18; these pins passing through the opposing angular surfaces of the feet so that they enter the ground at substantially right angles to one another and in spreading arrangement as.

shown more particularly in Fig. 10 of the drawings. These pins may be easily driven into the ground and equally as readily withdrawn therefrom, but due to their peculiar angularity they will adequately support the mast and the structure carried by the latter notwithstanding the aesgass violent stresses that will be brought to bear. To more rigidly support the mast in upright position, struts of steel bars or tubing may be secured at their lower ends to the channel members 16 and at their upper ends to the mast 15 below the top thereof.

A substantial distance below the upper end of the mast 15 the lower ends of spaced brace members 21 are rigidly secured thereto. These brace members are straight throughout their lengths and extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle to the mast. Rigidly secured to the upper ends of these brace members is an arcuate segmental track 22, at one end of which is an upstanding abutment or stop 23. This track is concentric with the mast and ends abruptly at its opposite end 24 to provide a gap. Upon the remote side of the mast 15 is an upstanding bar 25 which constitutes a stop, the purpose for which will be more fully explained hereafter.

Slidably fitted over the mast 15 is a collar 26, from the lower end of which extends at right angles a bracket arm 27. This arm has an opening near its free end through which passes an adjusting bolt 28 which also passes through an arcuate plate 29 rigidly affixed to the mast 15 and also to the brace members 21. This plate is provided with an arcuate slot 30 which receives the bolt 28, and it is obvious from this construction that the collar is capable of adjustment around the mast 15.

Slidably engage-d over the upper end of the mast 15 is a sleeve 31 which is provided near its upper end with a rigid outwardly extending arm 32 having a transversely disposed hinge barrel 33. The sleeve is also provided with an outstanding stud 34 to which one end of a mast encircling coil spring 35 is secured, the opposite end of the coil spring being connected to a pin or stud 36 projecting laterally from the collar 26. The top of the mast 15 is threaded as at 37 to receive a screw cap 38, which maintains the sleeve, coil spring and collar in assembled relationship.

The overhead supporting structure for the dummy comprises a boom indicated generally at 39. In the present instance, this boom takes the form shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 8 of the drawing. It comprises elongated side members of suitable steel 40 spaced apart so as to straddle the upstanding mast 15 inwardly from one end of the boom. These members 40 may be connected with suitable braces 41, wherever required, in order to lend rigidity to the structure. To lend additional rigidity to the boom, an overhead strut 42 extends from one end to the other thereof and is securely welded to the members 40. It will be observed, particularly with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, that the rear end of this boom is inclined upwardly as at 43. The boom is pivoted as at 44 to the hinge barrel 33 rigidly connected to the sleeve 31, and it is obvious, therefore, that the boom is capable of being raised or lowered on this pivot. Secured in suitable brackets upon the underside of the boom is a roller 45 so positioned as to rest upon the arcuate track 22. This roller thus supports the longer end of the boom normally in proper horizontal position and permits it to swing freely upon the mast.

Rigidly secured at its lower end to one side of the sleeve 31 is a post 46 which extends in an angular direction forwardly or toward the long end of the boom and well above the latter. The upper end of this post has connected thereto one end of a contractile spring 47, the opposite end of which is attached to the boom as at 48. The spring 47 is attached to one end of a bolt 49 which passes through the post 46 and may be adjusted by the nut 50. This is a simple expedient to enable the spring 47 to be tightened or loosened as occasion may require.

The inner end of the boom 39 has attached thereto a pulley 51 over which passes a cable 52, the lower end of which is secured to a weight 53. The cable passes longitudinally of the boom and over a pulley 54 at the outer or long end, thereof, and its lower extremity is attached as at 55 to a conventional dummy 56.

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The coil spring 35 is so arranged as to exert force or pressure upon the boom to move it to such position that the roller 45 will contact the stop or abutment 23. This is the position it occupies in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing. The force of a tackler charging and grasping the dummy 56 will swing the boom 38 around the axis of mast 15 and when the roller 45 reaches the open end of the arcuate track 22 it will immediately drop, turning on the pivot 44 as shown in Fig. 3. When this occurs, the weight 53 moves from the ground, while at the same time the spring 35 has been tensioned. The member 25 acts as a stop to prevent further rotary movement of the boom. The tackling operation thus completed, the tackler releases the dummy, the weight 53 lifts it from the ground and at the same time the contractile spring 47 which has been tensioned by the downward movement of the outer end of the boom will bring the boom in an upward direction until it reaches the horizontal position or until the roller 45 reaches the upper surface of the track 22, whereupon the tensioned spring 35 will swing the boom back to its initial position which will be determined by the stop 23. In this returning movement, the dummy will be substantially yanked from the ground due to the reverse rotary movement of the boom as well as its upward movement brought about by the weight 53 and the spring 47, and will thus swing back toward its normal position. In the meantime, the succeeding tackler has started forward to meet this dummy, and must necessarily maneuver quickly and accurately either to make a tackle or to successfully bring about a block of the dummy. It will be obvious that the gyrations or movements oft he dummy from the tackled or thrown position back to the initial position will be determined largely by the manner and force with which it is tackled. For instance, if struck properly by a heavy and strong player, the boom will swing to its full limit and will be stopped by the member 25, upon release of which, the springs 35 and 47 having been extremely tensioned, the return movement of the dummy from the tackled position will be more rapid than were it struck and thrown with less force or possibly by a lighter player. It is, therefore, obvious that it is impossible to determine just what movements or weaving motions the dummy will develop after once having been tackled, thrown and released, thus making it requisite that the succeeding tackler, or blocker, as the case may be, quickly and accurately adjust himself if his operation is to succeed.

It is obvious that adjustments in the tension of springs 35 and 47 may be made to meet requirements of the type, weight and strength of the players using the apparatus.

While the invention is here described in some detail in outlining the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that variations or modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a tackling and blocking device, an elevated support, a boom carried by said support and rotatable thereon on a vertical axis, a pivot connection between said boom and said support, tension means normally holding said boom in a predetermined horizontal position, means operable when said boom is moved upon its vertical axis against the tension of said holding means to a second predetermined position to release said boom to swing downwardly upon said pivot, and a tackling dummy depending from said boom.

2. In a tackling and blocking device, an elevated support, a boom carried by said support and rotatable thereon on a vertical axis, a horizontal hinge connecting said boom with said support, tension means normally holding said boom in a substantially horizontal position, means operable when said boom is moved to a second predetermined position to release said boom to swing downwardly upon said hinge, means to limit the downward movement of said boom, and a tackling dummy depending from said boom.

3. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast a horizontally disposed segmental track rail concentric with the upper part of said mast and open at one end, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, a sleeve surrounding said mast, an arm extending laterally from said sleeve and rigid with the latter, a boom hingedly connected inwardly from its ends to the extremity of said arm, a roller depending from said boom and resting upon said rail, a spring encircling said mast connected at one end with the latter and at its opposite end to said sleeve to normally hold said boom against saidstop, means connecting said sleeve and said boom tending normally to hold said boom in horizontal position, and a tackling dummy depending from one end of said boom.

4. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, a segmental track rail open at one end affixed to said mast below the upper end thereof and disposed in a horizontal plane concentric with said mast, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, a sleeve surrounding said mast above said rail, an arm projecting horizontally from said sleeve, a boom straddling said sleeve and pivoted to the outer end of said arm for movement upon a horizontal axis, a roller carried by said boom and resting upon said track rail, a spring encircling said mast connected at one end to the latter and at its opposite end to said sleeve to normally hold the boom in engagement with said stop, spring means connecting said sleeve with said boom tending normally to maintain the latter at substantially horizontal position, and a tackling dummy depending from the free end of said boom.

5. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, a segmental track rail open at one end secured to and concentric with the upper part of said mast and below the top thereof, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, a sleeve encircling said mast above said rail, an arm rigid with and projecting laterally from said sleeve, a boom straddling said sleeve and pivotally connected upon a horizontal axis with the outer end of said arm, a roller depending from said boom and resting upon said track rail, a coil spring encircling said mast rigidly connected at one end with the latter and at its other end with said sleeve and tending normally to hold said boom against said stop, a post rigidly connected with said sleeve and extending above said mast, a contractile spring connecting the upper end of said post with said boom beyond said roller, and a tackling dummy suspended with the outer end of said boom.

6. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, a segmental track rail open at one end supported by said mast below the top thereof and spaced therefrom concentrically, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, a sleeve sur rounding said mast, an arm projecting horizontally from said sleeve, a boom pivoted inwardly from one end to the outer end of said arm for swinging movement on a horizontal axis, a roller secured to said boom beyond said pivot normally resting upon said track rail, a contractile spring encircling said mast connected at one end to the latter and at its other end to said sleeve and tending normally to hold said boom engaged with said stop, a post projecting upwardly from said sleeve, a contractile spring connecting the upper end of said post with said boom beyond said roller, pulleys secured to the ends of said boom, a cable passing over said pulleys, a tackling dummy secured to the cable beneath the outer end of said boom, and a weight secured to the opposite end of said cable.

7. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, a horizontally disposed segmental track rail concentric with the upper part of said mast and extending partly around the latter in spaced relation thereto to provide a gap at one end thereof, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, a sleeve rotatably enclosing said mast above said rail, a coil spring encircling said mast connected at one end with the latter and at its other end with said sleeve, an

arm rigid with and projecting outwardly in a horizontal plane from said sleeve, a boom pivotally connected on a horizontal axis inwardly from one end with the outer end of said arm, a roller depending from. the underside of said boom beyond said pivotal connection and normally resting upon said rail, a post rigidly secured at one end to said sleeve and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, a contractile spring connected at one end to said post and at its opposite end to said boom beyond said roller, pulleys carried at each end of said boom, a cable passing over said pulleys, a tackling dummy secured to the cable end depending from the outer extremity of said boom, and a weight secured to the opposite end of said cable.

8. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, an arcuate plate secured to said mast below the upper end thereof, said plate having an arcuate slot therein concentric with said mast, a collar enclosing said mast, a bracket arm rigid with said collar and projecting laterally from the lower end thereof and resting upon said arcuate plate, a bolt extending through said arcuate slot and said bracket arm, a sleeve encircling said mast above said collar, a coil spring encircling said mast and interposed between said collar and said sleeve, one end of said spring secured to said collar and the opposite end secured to said sleeve, a horizontally disposed segmental track rail open at one end secured to said mast and disposed above said arcuate plate in a horizontal plane, a stop at the opposite end of said rail, an abutment secured to said mast and spaced beyond the opposite end of said track rail, an arm rigid with said sleeve and projecting horizontally from the same above said arcuate plate, a boom pivoted inwardly from its inner end to the outed end of said arm on a horizontal axis and inwardly of said track rail, a roller depending from said boom and normally resting upon said track rail, a post extending upwardly and outwardly from said sleeve and overlying said track rail, a contractile spring adjustable connected at one end to the upper end of said post and secured at its opposite end to said boom beyond said roller, a pulley on each end of said boom, a cable passing over said pulley, a tackling dummy secured to one end of said cable, a weight secured to the opposite end of said cable, and a cap secured to the upper end of said mast to hold said sleeve in position.

9. In a tackling and blocking device, a mast, brace members secured at their inner ends in spaced relationship upon said mast below the upper end thereof and projecting outwardly from said mast, a segmental track rail open at one end secured to the upper ends of said brace members concentric with said mast and below the upper end thereof, an abutment secured to said mast and projecting laterally and outwardly therefrom beyond one end of said open rail end, a stop on the other end of said rail, an arcuate plate rigidly secured to said mast and projecting horizontally and outwardly therefrom below said track rail, said plate having an arcuate slot therein concentric with said mast, a collar slidably fitted upon said mast, a bracket arm rigid with the lower end of said collar projecting horizontally and outwardly therefrom and resting upon said arcuate plate, a bolt extending through said arcuate slot and through the outer end of said bracket arm, a coil spring encircling said mast and secured at its lower end to said collar, a sleeve encircling said mast above said track rail and secured to the opposite end of said coil spring, an arm projecting outwardly and horizontally from the upper portion of said sleeve and having a horizontal opening in its outer end, a boom, a pin securing said boom inwardly from its inner end to the opening in the outer end of said arm, a bearing roller depending from said boom beyond said pivotal connection and normally resting upon said track rail, a post rigidly secured at its lower end to said sleeve and projecting upwardly and forwardly therefrom, a contractile spring connected at one end to the upper end of said post and to said boom beyond said roller, a pulley at each end of said boom, a cable passing over said pulleys, a tackling dummy secured to one end of said cable and a weight secured to the opposite end thereof, and a cap secured over the upper end of said mast to retain said sleeve and spring in position upon said mast.

10. In a tackling and blocking device, an elevated support, a boom pivoted near its inner end for horizontal as Well as vertical movement upon said support, a horizontally disposed segmental track concentric with the horizontal pivot of 'said boom rigidly mounted beneath the adjacent end of said boom and supporting the latter, one end of said track having an abrupt end to provide a gap, a stop at the opposite end of said track, a spring connecting said boom to said support and tending normally to hold said boom against said stop, a contractile spring 8 connecting said boom to said support above the boom and normally maintaining the latter in horizontal position, pulleys at bothendsof said boom, a cable passing over said pulleys, a tackling dummy secured to the cable at the outer end of said boom, and a Weight secured to the opposite end of said cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,176,730 Ashton Mar. 28, 1916 1,717,693 Klum June 18, 1929 2,357,588 Hillebrand Sept. 5, 1944 2,379,572 Gibson July 3, 1945 

